TOP

Definition of sculpture noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sculpture

noun
 
/ˈskʌlptʃə(r)/
 
/ˈskʌlptʃər/
jump to other results
  1. [countable, uncountable] a work of art that is a solid figure or object made by carving or shaping wood, stone, clay, metal, etc.
    • a marble sculpture of Venus
    • He collects modern sculpture.
    • a sculpture garden/park
    • a bronze/stone sculpture
    Collocations Fine artsFine artsCreating art
    • make a work of art/​a drawing/​a sketch/​a sculpture/​a statue/​engravings/​etchings/​prints
    • do an oil painting/​a self-portrait/​a line drawing/​a rough sketch
    • create a work of art/​an artwork/​paintings and sculptures
    • produce paintings/​portraits/​oil sketches/​her most celebrated work/​a series of prints
    • paint a picture/​landscape/​portrait/​mural/​in oils/​in watercolours/(US English) in watercolors/​on canvas
    • draw a picture/​a portrait/​a cartoon/​a sketch/​a line/​a figure/​the human form/​in charcoal/​in ink
    • sketch a preliminary drawing/​a figure/​a shape
    • carve a figure/​an image/​a sculpture/​reliefs/​a block of wood
    • sculpt a portrait bust/​a statue/​an abstract figure
    • etch a line/​a pattern/​a design/​a name into the glass
    • mix colours/(US English) colors/​pigments/​paints
    • add/​apply thin/​thick layers of paint/​colour/(US English) color/​pigment
    • use oil pastels/​charcoal/​acrylic paint/​a can of spray paint
    • work in bronze/​ceramics/​stone/​oils/​pastels/​watercolour/​a wide variety of media
    Describing art
    • paint/​depict a female figure/​a rural scene/​a pastoral landscape/​a domestic interior
    • depict/​illustrate a traditional/​mythological/​historical/​religious theme
    • create an abstract composition/​a richly textured surface/​a distorted perspective
    • paint dark/​rich/​skin/​flesh tones
    • use broad brush strokes/​loose brushwork/​vibrant colours/​a limited palette/​simple geometric forms
    • develop/​adopt/​paint in a stylized manner/​an abstract style
    Showing and selling art
    • commission a new piece/​a bronze bust of somebody/​a portrait/​a religious work/​an artist to paint something
    • frame a painting/​portrait
    • hang art/​a picture/​a painting
    • display/​exhibit modern art/​somebody’s work/​a collection/​original artwork/​drawings/​sculptures/​a piece/​a painting
    • be displayed/​hung in a gallery/​museum
    • install/​place a sculpture in/​at/​on something
    • erect/​unveil a bronze/​marble/​life-size statue
    • hold/​host/​mount/​open/​curate/​see an exhibition (especially British English)/(North American English usually) an exhibit
    • be/​go on (British English) exhibition/(North American English) exhibit
    • feature/​promote/​showcase a conceptual artist/​contemporary works
    • collect contemporary art/​modern British paintings/​Japanese prints
    • restore/​preserve a fresco/​great works of art
    Extra Examples
    • She creates sculptures out of scrap materials.
    • Tombs remain the most important monumental sculpture of this period.
    • a sculpture by Henry Moore
    • a sculpture of a horse
    Topics Artb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • abstract
    • figurative
    • ancient
    … of sculpture
    • piece
    • series
    • collection
    verb + sculpture
    • create
    • make
    • commission
    preposition
    • sculpture by
    • sculpture of
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable] the art of making sculptures
    • the techniques of sculpture in stone
    • The frieze shows ancient Greek relief sculpture at its most inventive.
    • She trained in painting and sculpture at Columbia University.
    Topics Hobbiesb1
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin sculptura, from sculpere ‘carve’.
See sculpture in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee sculpture in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
given
adjective
 
 
From the Word list
OPAL spoken words
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day